Improvement in harrows



J ADAMS Harrow.

. 3 Patented Sept. 24; 1861.

Uiwrrnn STATES PATENT @rrica.

JOHN ADAMS, OF MONROE, MICHIGAN.

IMPROVEMENT IN HARROWS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 33,3 F, dated September24,1861.

f0 all whom it may concern;

Be it known that I, JOHN ADAMS, of Monroe, in the county of Monroe andState of Michigan, have invented a new and Improved Harrow; and I dohereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,making a part of this specifieation, in which' Figure 1 is a sectionthrough the improved harrow in the vertical plane indicated by red lineas w in Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a plan view of a compoundtriangular harrow.Fig. 3shows the manner of j oining the hooked ends of the harrow-framestogether, and also the key which is used to stiffen the joints of theseends. Fig. 4: shows another manner of securing together the ends of theharrow-frame. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a cultivator-tooth, whichis used as shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the severalfigures.

This invention is an improvement in triangular harrows, which are madeup of three triangular frames, jointed together in such a manner thatthey will rise and fall and accommodate themselves to inequalities inthe surface of the ground over which they are dragged.

The improvement consists in forming the ends of the triangular frames atthe joints in such a manner that retaining wedges or keys maybe used forfixing the joints rigidly when it is desired to use the harrow on levelground, all as will be hereinafter fully explained.

To enable those skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I willproceed to describe its construction and operation.

A, B, and G are three triangular frames, each of which is furnished witha suitable number of spiked teeth, a a a, which teeth are secured to thetimbers of the frames in the usual manner of constructing harrows. Thesethree frames are of the same size and shape, and when they are puttogether, as represented in Fig. 2 of the drawings, I have a goodharrow, which is in form an equilateral triangle. The ends of the beamsof each frame A B 0 proj ect out from the ends of the beam connectingthe said ends together, as shown 'in Fig. 2 of the drawings and letteredb b. On these ends b I) plates 0 c are bolted, which serve merely toprotect the ends 0 Z) from rapidly wearing out and to keep these endssquare. In each end a vertical V-shaped groove, 11, is cut, as shown inFigs. 3 and 4 of the drawings, which grooves receive correspondingtenons formed on keyblocks G G G G, which are inserted between the endsb Z) b of the three framesA B Owhen these frames are all put together,as will be hereinafter described. Ea ch frame AB Chas a hitching-hook,attached at one corner, so that the team can be hitched to either corner.of the harrow when the three frames thereof are put together. Theobject of the three hooks g g g, for hitching the teams to the harrow,is to keep the edges of teeth a a a sharp a much longer time than if theharrow was drawn from one hook altogether. Vith ahook at each corner ofthe harrow the team can be hitched to another corner when one of theedges of the teeth becomes dull. Two hooks, e e, hooking into eyes f f,attach one of the corners of frames B and O to the rear corners of frameA, and the twoframes B and O are attached together by a pivot-j ointforward by the screw h passing through plates 1i, 5 and j, as shown inFigs. 1, 2, and 4 of the drawings. Thehooked joints, as well as thepivot-joint connecting these frames A B 0, do not draw the ends of theframes closely together; but a space is left which allows the frames afree play about their joints, so that in dragging the harrow overununiforin or uneven land the frames will accommodate themselves to itssur face, like any common flexible harrow.

N ow, for many purposes it is desired that the harrow should be stiffand inflexible, and in order to render the joints rigid I employ thekeys G G G. (Shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3 of the drawings.) These keys Gare made flat and of a suitable thickness to fit tightly between theends I) b of the frames A B O at the j oints,and V-shaped tenons d d areformed on each side of each key G, which tenons prevent the keys fromslipping laterally out of their places, and also strengthening the keys.A head, p,is formed on each key,which prevents it from working down wheninserted in its place. \Vhen such keys are driven hard between thejointed ends of the harrow-frames A B 0, they stiffen the harrow andeffectually prevent the flexibility above described. These keys G Gharrow is desired.

The frame A has handles G G attached to V it, which are used to controlthis front frame.

The shoes or cultivator-teeth H H may be attached in front of the spikedharroW-teeth a a a on the frame A, and used to advantage in stirring thesoil. These teeth H H are attached to the barrow-frame A by passing thevertical ends of the bent stocks is up through the frame A and securingthem by nuts, as shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 5 of the drawings. By removingthe nuts which secure the teeth H to the frame A ,these teeth can beremoved and the spiked teeth a a a used instead.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

The employment of keys G G G, constructed substantially as described, incombination with a triangular harrow made up of frames A B C,

jointed together and otherwise constructed, as

and for the purposes herein described.

JOHN ADAMS.

Witnesses:

\VALTER W. PRENTICE, T. S. CLARK.

